Raging Fire
by Teefa and Co
Summary: When Haku returns to Chihiro after 5 years, he finds she has disappeared. Many years later, a grown Chihiro wakes from a magical coma to find her life has been turned upsidown. Can she ever find what she has lost?
1. Training

**Training**

Haku smiled as he watched Chihiro and her parents walk through the gate back to the Human World. He had done all that he could for her; now she would have to take care of herself. But it wouldn't be long before they would again meet. With his name back, Haku was free to leave the bathhouse at any time he liked. All that he needed to do was have the dreaded confrontation with Yubaba, which was a thing that makes any spirit, no matter how powerful they are, cringe. But for him and Chihiro, he would go forward.

And so he returned to the rest of the spirits. They were still celebrating Sen's passing the test and being able to go to her true home. Though for her closest friends, that parting was bittersweet. The spirits all knew that a human's place was back in her own world. But while she had been there, Sen had earned the respect and friendship of those she had touched through her kindness, bravery, and strength.

'Who would have thought a human child could change that dramatically,' Haku thought, 'When she first came here, Chihiro was a scared little girl who never did anything on her own. However, after her stay, she had become a hard working woman who would do anything to help out those she cared for. She could have very well just asked me to help her return home; abandoning her parents. But she knew what she had to do and rose to the occasion. That's something about humans we spirits should emulate.'

S...S

When the celebration had winded down, Haku went upstairs to see Yubaba. She was sitting at her desk and looking quite miserable. Then again, she always looked quite miserable. Haku wondered how in the world she and Zeniba were related, he'd never have gotten off so lightly with only promising to protect a girl if he'd stolen one of Yubaba's trinkets. He sighed, best to get this over with for Chihiro.

"So what is it Haku? You know that I'm still quite mad at you for that little stunt you pulled with me last night. Since when do you backtalk me? And honestly, what do you see in that one human girl? If she were a spirit, then I'd be able to understand what you're going through. But a human?" she asked.

Haku stated, "Yubaba, Chihiro has done me a great service. When she was a child, she fell into a river and was saved by its guardian. That river has now been dredged over by humans; leaving the young dragon homeless and trapped. I was the guardian of that river; the Kohaku River! I know my name because of what she has remembered. Now, my contract is void and I can return to be with her."

He'd thought of about a million expected reactions that Yubaba might show; the least violent of them being the scene where she burned him with magical fire over and over again. But he'd never expect the old crone to suddenly begin laughing. "You foolish boy! Don't you know what happens when a human leaves the Spirit World? If humans knew about where we live, then there'd be a massive war and both worlds would be laid to waste. That is why no human can return home with their memory intact. Sen is going to return to her past existence, maybe having learned a little more about being grown up from this, without knowing who you are. So regardless of when you fulfill your little promise, it's futile."

"There has got to be a way!" exclaimed Haku, "Some way for certain humans to retain memory of the Spirit World. Certainly, there have been times when human warriors might need to know more about the supernatural in order to protect their own homes and families. If that's the case, I can help her to remember me. She still has the hairpiece Zeniba spun with the help of No-Face, Buu, and your Yu-bird! That's a memory of the Spirit World right there; containing the protection of her friends as if they were with her when she needed them. So why can't I use that in order to help her regain her memories; just her."

"My sister always said that you never truly forget what happened to you and the people you meet, you just have to wait for it to come back to you. Or something stupid like that. If she truly has an artifact from the Spirit World, then there is a way to draw out her memory from inside of it. But, the spell is quite difficult to learn; only the most advanced sorcerers and witches can teach you how to cast it," she said.

Haku knew where this conversation was going. The shrewd old woman knew just how to dig her claws into you and not let go. So he told her, "You want me to work for you in return for you teaching me how to cast the spell. Then, when I learn it, my contract will be up and I can go and search for Chihiro."

Yubaba looked the spirit boy right in the eye. "You've got it Haku. I'll warn you now that this is going to take years of touch training; you can quit at any time but remember that without your river or that girl remembering you, there's nothing for you out there. If you're up for this training, then I agree to let you go once it's over. But if you give up midway through, you will belong to me for the rest of eternity."

Haku nodded his head, anything to get Chihiro back. By the time he was finished, she'd probably be old enough to date in human terms; now that he thought about it, she probably would feel funny telling her parents that she had a boyfriend when she was only ten. This was his only chance at seeing her again and by every Great Spirit in the universe he would take it! Haku was never known as a quitter.

S...S

It took five long years for Haku to finish his brutal training; which he believed had been kicked up a notch so Yubaba could try to force him into quitting. But through it all, he was kept going by the very thought of one day being able to return to the Human World and see Chihiro. He imagined she had grown into a beautiful teenage girl by this time. Soon, Haku would be able to confirm what he believed.

"At last I've mastered the spell," Haku told Yubaba one day, "Now it's your turn to keep your end of the bargain. As you promised, I would only work for you as long as it took me to learn from you. Now that the training has ended, I will depart to visit Chihiro and help her to regain the memories she has lost."

"Fine! Then go! You'd better not come whining back to me when things go wrong! A human with a Spirit; unheard of!" Yubaba yelled after him. Haku just ignored her ranting and raving, not like she was used to not getting her way. But this was not just about him. He wanted Chihiro to live her life to the fullest. From what he'd heard, humans who lose their memory of the Spirit World tend to always know that something was missing in their lives. Now, he would help Chihiro to become a complete person.

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...**

Well, this is an idea that just popped into our heads. It heats up, literally, soon. Basically, we're fans of romances that involve a lot of shit hitting the fan. I've lost count of the number of times the principle pairing in my fics have dealt with issues. Can't say never as severe cuz I did do one with amnesia once and a lot of trouble came out of it.


	2. Disappearing Act

**Disappearing Act**

Haku exited the portal between the two worlds in the same forest that Chihiro and her family had become lost in five years earlier. Though it took him a little time, he was eventually able to discover the way out and into town. To be on the safe side, he'd had Zeniba make him a pair of khaki shorts and a dark blue T-shirt to wear as a disguise; after all, humans didn't tend to dress like him on an average day.

But he soon learned that he'd picked a bad day to come into town. Apparently, there'd been a kidnapping or something and the police were everywhere; scouring for the criminal and missing teenager. About five different times, he'd found himself being questioned by officers as to whether or not he'd seen a suspicious person around town or near the forest as of late; Haku was thanking every Great Spirit in existence that his disguise made him blend in with other human teenagers. And every time, he said no.

'I wonder why they didn't ask me if I'd seen a certain person,' he questioned himself, 'I mean, I'd think that humans would use that device of theirs, the camera, to take pictures of whomever they were searching for in order to show everyone who might have information. Perhaps they just forgot about it. But why do I get the feeling that something sinister is afoot here? Almost as if a powerful Spirit has paid the Human World a visit and wreaked some havoc? Everything is so strange; so out of the ordinary.'

While Haku wasn't a scholar in the art of human lifestyles, he did hear many things during his time as lord of the Kohaku River. The police were forever checking his river whenever a murder or disappearance had happened in the area, hoping to find out whether or not the body had been dumped there. And there were times where they'd be questioning suspects or witnesses right near his banks.

But all of that took a backseat to the more pressing task of finding Chihiro and getting her to realize that he was her friend. She would no doubt be frightened with news that a teenager had just vanished into thin air. He hoped that this incident wouldn't be a cause for her no longer to trust strangers.

'I think she said that her house was a blue one that lay on a hill; I remember asking her that question shortly before we arrived back at the bathhouse following our trip to Zeniba's. Hopefully, she hasn't moved since then. If she has, then I'm going to have to play detective for a long time,' he thought.

S...S

Haku noticed the police presence greatly increased the higher up he climbed. Finally, when he was near the top, he saw a trio of girls crying in each other's arms. Obviously, these were friends of the missing person. All of them seemed to be around Chihiro's age; though he didn't see her anyone who looked like it might be her among that gathering. He hoped she had been able to make friends in her new school; that had been one of her major worries. Perhaps these were girls from another class altogether.

As he walked past, a girl who wore her raven hair up in a ponytail inquired of one that wore her brown hair down past her shoulders, "Kana, do you think she's going to be ok? I mean, we've taken that forest path a ton of times together and never seen anything dangerous. Perhaps she just fell and was stunned for a minute. She'll come walking back home any time now and we'll all have a good laugh."

The second girl shook her head. "Rei, please be a realist. The police have combed the path over and over again. From what I heard, they actually found signs of a struggle. But the strange part was that only one pair of feet were seen; a teenage girl's. What I think is that her attacker obviously was strong enough to pull her off the ground and was pushed a bit when she tried to escape. It was probably one of the girls who didn't make the cheerleading squad and felt jealous because Chi became the captain."

"None of those girls could have fought Chi off," the third girl stated, "Remember, the four of us are all blackbelts in Judo. The girls who didn't make it were all the drama queens who sit and powder their faces in the bathroom all day; the ones who spent tryouts conversing with one another and barely moving their arms when they were asked to." She fiddled with her long black hair; almost as if it to relieve stress.

"But what else could explain it Sakura? The sneaker prints were that of a teenage girl of about the same size as Chi. So it would have to be someone around our age. Who do you know that could pick her up and fight with her if you're so smart? If it wasn't one of our classmates, then explain how there was only one print shape of the same size?" the young girl named Kana quipped back at her friend.

At this point, Haku was beginning to have a sinking feeling in the back of his head. He left the area at once and hid in an alley far from police presence. Then, the youth transformed into a dragon and soared above the clouds to be unseen. Soon, he found the forest in question and snuck in before he became a boy once more. Now, all that was left to do was find the scene and investigate it with senses.

It wasn't long before he discovered it. Just as the girls had described, there were footprints all over the area, however only one set of prints could be seen. Also, when he smelt the air, he only sensed that one human girl had been in that direct spot; the police had kept back to avoid contaminating the area.

But as Haku looked around, something shiny caught his eyes. It was a small, circular object near the rock on the edge of the clearing. Trepidation filled his heart as the young Spirit stepped forward to inspect his finding. He had a good idea of what the object might be; it was filled with an extraordinary yet familiar Spirit Energy. Haku picked it up and cleaned off the dirt, only to reveal Chihiro's favorite hair tie.

The former guardian of the Kohaku River wept bitterly; after getting out of the way in case the police came back to work on the case some more. Five years of hard work had all been for naught; someone had caused Chihiro harm before he could return and protect her. He wondered, 'Did Yubaba orchestrate this in any way? No, because I don't think she'd want to make her son angry; he was quite attached to Chihiro and demanded that his mother not hurt her. Everything that has happened here seems so bizarre. I can't take in another human's scent save that of police presence. And only one set of footprints that belonged to Chihiro are around. But why would any Spirit want to kidnap a human?'

S...S

He did not return to the bathhouse; no way he wanted to have Yubaba gloat at how right she had been. Instead, he went to Zeniba's to immediately hold a conference with her and figure out if there was a way of tracking Chihiro through the hairband. Sadly, the old witch told him it was impossible; if a Spirit was involved in some way, they were skilled enough to mask their presence from any means of detection.

Dejected, Haku would constantly hang around town; telling anyone who wondered where he came from that he was simply visiting an aunt that lived in a cottage nearby. Everyday it was the same exact story; Rei, Kana, and Sakura would talk and cry, the police would stand around baffled, Chihiro's mom and dad would be trying to hold up a brave front and fail, and Haku would curse himself for not completing the training sooner. Even asking the local Forest Spirits what was going on did no good; they had been at a small party around the time in question. After a year, the case was closed due to lack of evidence; much to the dismay of everyone who knew her. Haku then left to find himself a new home.

For the next thousand years, stories were circulating on the foundation of what had once been the Kohaku River. They spoke of a Dragon that would roam the area at night; crying and moaning over the grief of his loss. All of the boarders in the apartments left out of fear of the River God, and no one dared to go over there anymore. That sat well with Haku; he could live alone and shed tears for Chihiro. And by the end of that timeframe, the river was once again whole; sorrow re-creating his true home.

However, around the same time, a maiden stirred from a long sleep. She would awaken to many frightening things that her short life never prepared her for. Her only hope would be in friends that she did not yet know; five who had also suffered like she and had one another for support, and her one true love.

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

Don't worry, I didn't kill her off. You'll see what happened to Chihiro in the next chapter. Most of the drama has been done with and now we're onto the humor; with some romance thrown in for good measure.

In more important news, we did get the names for Chihiro's friends from other Anime; well, from ones more geared towards children since I still watch children's shows thus I'll be able to stomach watching TV with my kids when I get married. Though we didn't copy those characters' appearances because they aren't supposed to be parodies of those people. Kana is the best friend in Hamtaro, Rei is from the Japanese version of Sailor Moon, and Sakura from Cardcaptor Sakura.


	3. The King of Flames

**The King of Flames**

"Ooooooooooooooh," moaned Chihiro, "Where am I? It feels like I've been hit with a ton of bricks. I can't believe how strong that guy was. My punches didn't even seem to phase him; and I hit all of the areas that are vital in knocking down an assailant. It was almost as if he wasn't human; but a Demon."

As she held her left hand to her forehead and slowly got up out of bed, she noticed that there was something different about her. Well, for one thing the young woman was now wearing a white dress; she had been in blue shorts and a brown T-shirt when she'd come home from the lake. The other was that her hair was not only down out of its ponytail, but instead of stretching to just under her shoulders, it was down to her rear end. In panic, Chihiro ran towards the mirror only to find she was no longer fifteen years old: her physical appearance suggested that of an eighteen year old. Had she really slept for three years?

"It is good to see you are finally awake M'lady. I will go and inform the Master that your long sleep has ended at last. He had been eagerly awaiting your introduction for the past millennium," a cheerful female voice called out. Chihiro turned in panic at the word "millennium"; she couldn't still be alive after a full thousand years passed. The woman wore a simple brown dress; worn and dirty like that of a servant or slave. Her hair was bright orange with bright red lining the tips. Red was also the color of her eyes; the eyes that were filled with a light that Chihiro didn't think she had it in her to possess again.

But just as she yelled, "Wait! I want to ask you a few things," the woman left. The young girl was now on her own to figure out what in the world had happened to her. How was it that she could have been alive for an entire millennium? Perhaps the master of this place, no doubt her kidnapper, would be able to shed some light on the subject. He certainly would be able to tell her how he'd taken her so easily.

The girl didn't dwell on it though; everything would come to her in time. Right now, she should be concentrating on finding a plan of escape. She walked over to the window, only to find that her plans had been anticipated and it was locked. However, what shocked her was the scene outside of it. Everywhere, as far as the eye could see, she spied lava and flames spurting or spilling. The houses were build to withstand the immense heat no doubt; they appeared to be on fire perpetually. But why then could she?

Suddenly, a low laugh echoed through the room. "Whatever escape plan you try will be futile. One who has five wives escape his grasp tends to learn from each experience. Why do you think I chose a human girl as number six? You have no people that owe you immense loyalty to come and rescue you like the Spirits I courted over the millennia. And you are actually quite the looker for one born human."

Hearing the voice of the man who had taken her, Chihiro turned around violently. She would never forget how he'd laughed at her for fighting back, nor how he told her that she would never be able to escape his grasp. There, in the doorway, stood a tall man with a gleam in his eye. His short and spiky hair was orange with red on the tips and his eyes were also red; just like the girl who had come by earlier. A red shirt and red breeches could be seen under his armor. Said defensive gear consisted of a black jerkin with a half steel plate strapped around the right side of his chest. Also, he wore a pair of steel grieves and a belt with two armored plates that protected his legs; also made of the same metal. Now Chihiro could clearly sense that he wasn't human; something she couldn't do when they'd fought before.

"What is it my bride?" he cockily inquired, "Cat got your tongue? Do not fear me; you only have to obey me and I will not hurt you. My name is Inferno. I am the Spirit who governs this volcano. You should consider yourself lucky. I have transformed your pathetic mortal body into that of a Spirit; the type you become will be all a result of your feelings and actions over the next day or so. Now, you will be able to live for all eternity in this castle as my queen. And with your family long gone due to mortality, you owe no loyalty to anyone in the human world; nor does any human or Spirit owe any loyalty to rescue you."

"A Spirit! I have become a Spirit! Why me? I was happy living a mortal's existence with my parents and friends. Yet, without even asking if I desired this chance, you kidnapped me and stole all that I held dear away. Who gives you the right to play with the lives of women like this?" Chihiro demanded.

Inferno smacked the girl on the right cheek; sending her reeling onto the bed. He hissed, "You will address me properly from now on; a wife should show her husband some manners. The choice was obvious for me. My first five wives were Spirits like myself. However, they became homesick and had their people rescue them and then send them into hiding. I figured that a human child who has been lost from her family for hundreds of years won't just be able to reappear in the world. Thus, you are now free to marry me as my queen. I so hope you become a Volcano Spirit like myself; or even just another Fire Spirit would be nice. It would make your eternal life here so much more enjoyable. There are no options left for you; only to become accepting of your fate and join with me as my queen. I will let you relax now my dear Chihiro." With that, he walked back towards the door and left; leaving the young girl shocked.

She put her hand to her cheek; rubbing the sore spot. "How did he know my name? Does he have the power to read minds? If not, that would mean that he's been stalking me long before he made his move. Well, I'll show him. I'll concentrate all my feelings into becoming a Water Spirit of sorts; that's the opposite of Fire. Then, I'll make his life a living nightmare so that he lets me go; even wandering whatever worlds the Spirits reside in for years on end has got to be better than being a wife to such a control freak. You know, if I can become any Spirit my feelings are in tune with, why not a River Spirit. That's Water oriented and I love Dragons. I wonder why though; I suddenly became obsessed at ten."

So she sat back down on her bed to brood over her circumstances. Chihiro then thought back on her life as a human. In her inquiry about her sudden ten year old love of Dragons, she thought back to other things that happened at ten. That was when Chihiro had suddenly stopped becoming a skittish and slothful girl who never tried new things. Suddenly, she had become an energetic child who tried any crazy stunt that her friends and she could come up with. In fact, everything happened after they'd moved.

'We went through the tunnel and walked through that field,' the young woman thought, 'Then, when we got back, our car was suddenly filled with leaves; almost as if it had been left there a few days. Plus, we missed the movers by a few days as well. But we'd only been gone an hour or so. That was also when I discovered that I had a shinier hair tie than I'd worn on the way there. Did something happen when we were there and all three of us blacked out?'

Somehow, Chihiro felt the answers scared her. No matter how close she came to discovering the exact cause of what memories she'd forgotten, it would slip away again. Something was obviously trying to keep her from remembering. However, it couldn't have been Inferno; else she'd have lost all the memory of her human existence, besides, she'd never known what happened in there. Now that she was a Spirit, she had an eternity to figure out what it was. But why did the truth make her feel so depressed?

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
** Well, we've met our villain and the mental issues are starting for Chihiro. Next chapter, a few new friends will arrive to help out. Oh, and the reason Inferno has an English name instead of a Japanese was that he lives in a volcano underwater somewhere between California and Hawaii. That and the fact that there really were no fiery words in Japanese that seemed like I could make them into a name.  



	4. The Brides

**The Brides**

A week later, Chihiro was resting in her room. Inferno hadn't bothered her since that first night only because he knew she would take time to adjust her body to her new Spirit powers. By then, he had thought, she would be resigned to her fate; no one would rescue her and so she had no other choice in the matter. But the young girl planned to be defiant until the end; after all, she wouldn't just submit to him.

Suddenly, there was a tapping at her window. Thinking it might be some lame attempt on the part of Inferno to romance her, she ignored it. But when it happened again, she heard the strangest thing. A young girl's giggle was being hushed by a few other female voices; they apparently had reasons to be here that were not going along with Inferno's schemes. So Chihiro opened the window to let them inside.

The first was a girl with long blue hair worn down and yellow eyes. She had on a long sleeveless green dress with the frills at the top being represented by a line of red roses. Her choker was also green with a felt red rose coming down in front, while the two bands she wore on her arms were green with a daisy on top. "Good evening miss. I am Hana; Flower Spirit and the first of Inferno's runaway brides."

The second woman was short and stocky with a long sleeved black dress with a short skirt. Her hair was short and black while her eyes were the color of steel. Gray stockings were worn over her legs, and she had black shoes. The hat on her head was black with a gray band around the bottom, and a sword was worn in a gray sheath hanging from a gray belt. "I am Ayame; the second, a Shadow Spirit."

The third girl was tall and graceful with flowing purple hair and eyes of the same shade. Her dress was long in both sleeves and skirt; also in purple. A gold belt with an amethyst was around her waist, and she had gold bands on her wrists. "I am called Yume; third of the brides and a Dream Spirit."

Fourth came a girl with long green hair worn in a ponytail and bright green eyes. Her shirt was green with long sleeves, and she had a skirt that consisted of stripes of sky blue and gray running in a diagonal fashion from hem to waist. "You may call me Kaze; the fourth lost bride and a Wind Spirit."

Finally, there was the oddest girl of them all. She was the shortest, almost childlike even, and had short brown hair and brown eyes. Her ears were red and resembled a dog's while a crimson fox's tail came from her rear. The shirt she had on was white with long sleeves while her pants were green. As far as accessories go, she had a pair of leather gloves, leather boots, and a leather belt. "Last, but most definitely not least, I am Kira; the fifth bride and an Animal Spirit. We've come here to get you out of that jerk's clutches. I mean, I don't know what Spirit you are, but I'm surprised that your people aren't here."

"Shhhhhhhhhhh! Kira," hushed Hana, "Do you want Inferno to catch us? If he does, then he'll have six brides trapped in his chambers. And what if this young girl doesn't want to talk about it? We were all kidnapped by Inferno, but her circumstances might be different. She…what is your name?"

"Chihiro. And I don't mind telling you about what happened. The reason nobody has come for me is that everyone who knows me is dead; they died thinking that I was killed as a teenager. You see, I was once human. A thousand years ago, Inferno abducted me and transformed me into a Spirit so that no one would know or care enough to get me away from him," she informed the group of five women.

Yume stated, "He doesn't know how wrong he is. Our people might have rescued all of us, but we have devoted our time to making sure any other girls he kidnaps do get rescued. Hana's brother got her out through cunning, and then the two of them teamed up with the Shadow Spirits when Ayame became his next target. Both girls then joined forces to protect Spirit girls from this perverted fire boy; leading to the liberation of myself, Kaze, and Kira. So let's get you out of here; we can talk more later."

Thus, they snuck out the window and into the hidden passage they'd found on the next floor down. It led to an underground canal of lava. Hana was sweating the whole time for like any other flower she was not good in the heat. Chihiro's surprising resistance to the sweltering temperatures from being that close to the magma told her that either she had succeeded in becoming a Water Spirit, or she had ended up a Fire Spirit of some sorts. But a comforting feeling in her heart was telling her that it was the former.

S...S

The underground canal took them to a small niche portal that had been opened to another area of the Spirit World. Hana went through the hole first, followed by Ayame, then Yume, then Kaze, then Kira, and Chihiro brought up the rear. As the young woman looked around, she saw clear skies and a grassy field. Thinking back, it kind of resembled the place where she'd had that picnic with her parents back when they'd gotten lost on their way to the new house. Chihiro sighed a little bit as she thought of the less confusing times. Those were the days when she'd still had her mother and father by her side when something had gone wrong. Now, she was suddenly thrust out on her own in a new world with her only guides being a group of self appointed protectors of the female gender in regards to a Volcano Spirit.

Kira jumped for joy; giggling. "There's this wonderful bathhouse here that only the Spirits can visit. We go there once in awhile to unwind. And this is a nice day to do so; there's this guy who comes around once a year on this day and he's a hunk! Think he used to work here but some kind of incident drove him into deep depression. Most female Spirits long to be the ones win his heart. What was his name Hana?"

"It was Haku you ditz," retorted Kaze, "Actually, he's the Spirit who guards the Kohaku river; most of the workers all have their names shortened when they sign their contracts here. It's an amazing story about how the river was completely dredged long ago, but then somehow it came back at least 500 years ago. You should see him Chihiro; he's a real looker. And from my senses, you're a River Spirit like him."

'Just as I wanted; I'll just have to ask the girls for help in controlling my new powers. But why does the name Haku sound so familiar? I know the Kohaku River, falling into it as a child will do that to you, but there's just something about the shortened name that holds meaning to me,' the girl mused.

Hana told them, "Well, the sun is setting. Step lively girls; we've got to go to the bathhouse before all of the good tubs are taken. And Kira…no sneaking downstairs this year to find out if you can join Haku's pity party; he has one of those every time he comes with some of his friends after they work."

Chihiro looked back and watched as a river suddenly began to rise over the rocks and the field beyond it. Then, a large boat began to head towards the shore, filled with other guests no doubt. But she didn't spend any more time marveling it or wondering why it struck a chord of familiarity. Hana and the others had already gone on ahead and she needed to catch up. However, she still questioned the feeling.

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

Well, next chapter we'll load up more crud onto Chihiro's plate; what happens when her old friends recognize her but she doesn't know them and they don't know it's her? And would someone tell Sky that I am not "Evil," I just like making a big show of things. Sorry, my Partner is an annoying pest sometimes.

I should also tell you the meanings of the names. Hana is Japanese for Flower. Ayame actually means Iris, but it's also the name of a Ninja in Suikoden 3; that's where we get Shadow. Yume means Dream and Kaze means Wind. Kira was just a name we kind of liked.


	5. Nostalgia

**Nostalgia**

"Welcome back," a Frog at the gate called to Hana and her crew, "Enjoy yourselves. Oh, and you've got a new companion. I see Inferno has been a busy boy lately. I'm going to begin counting down until he goes on his tirade; then we'll all see some real action." Chihiro was clueless as to his words.

"You see, Inferno tends to come here to throw fits every time one of his brides escapes. Not that he searches the bathhouse, but he does cause property damage that Yubaba isn't that fond of. He's in debt to her up to his nose after all the explosions he's made. It doesn't matter whether or not we come to call; he'll show up anyway to make trouble. So don't worry when he arrives, you're safe," Hana warned.

The girls continued on their way inside the bathhouse. However, the guard at the gate looked at the young woman bringing up the rear with a puzzled expression on his face. He thought, 'If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that was Sen all grown up. But that's impossible; she died a thousand years ago. Man, when Haku sees this one I don't want to know what'll happen. And it's his pity party today as well.'

Chihiro and the others had rented a tub that was especially designed for groups. As the new River Spirit took a look around she found herself sensing familiarity hanging in the air. This place…she had been here before. But was it all a dream of sort? Certainly, Chihiro didn't remember ever going to the Spirit World and staying around. However, this room, the field, the ship, even the workers were all somewhat familiar to her. Nostalgia began creeping in, sending cold shivers down Chihiro's backside.

Kira, ever the cheerful one, ceased her splashing match with Kaze to speak to their new Sister. "Hey, Chihiro! What's wrong? Did your parents ever take you to something like this in the Human World and you're thinking back to it? If so, you should have told us that this would be too painful to do. We could have returned to the hideout and had a private party. Only reason we came was so you could feel refreshed after your ordeal." She shrieked then; Kaze took advantage of her distraction to dump a pail of water on Kira's head. Then, the two were back to fighting, leaving Yume and Hana to pick up the pieces.

"I've never been to a human bathhouse before," Chihiro told the girls, "But somehow, I feel as if I know this place. This entire world has burned itself in my mind like a forgotten memory. Almost as if I came here before as a child. However, I know I never wandered around the lands of the Spirits. What if I was a Spirit in a past life or something? If so, then how did I die? Am I more than I thought I had been?"

"Well, past lives aren't usually remembered so vividly; either by humans or by Spirits. Second, I don't know how you could have forgotten something like this...unless you passed it off as a fanciful dream. Third, I wouldn't worry so much. Whatever it is will pass with the shifting of Time," Yume told the girl.

But before Chihiro could thank her new friends, she heard Inferno's voice boom, "Where's my bride! My newest lovely has gone missing! If I find out who has sheltered her, then they are going to wish they'd never interfered with me!" It was accompanied by explosions and some falling walkways.

Chihiro was curious to see what was going on. So with Ayame cloaking them all in shadows, the girls snuck along the hallway to where the Volcano Spirit was throwing his hissy fit. Suddenly, an old woman wearing a blue dress jumped down from the top floor to confront Inferno. Kaze smirked. "That's old Yubaba; the owner of the bathhouse. She and Inferno detest one another; she hates him for the obvious reason that he always wrecks her bathhouse and never pays for repairs, he hates her for the reason that he just hates most people. It's always fun to watch these two spat like two human children."

"If you want to come into my bathhouse," Yubaba told him, "Either make an actual search for your missing brides, do it as a customer, or be willing to pay for all the damages you have amassed over the years. I thought I was rid of you once and for all; you never came around again after number five left."

"I was playing possum; my latest bride is quite different from the rest. I'm still not sure what type of Spirit she is. You and I both know that anyone who wishes to stay hidden won't be hanging around your bathhouse; so many Spirits in one place after all. That means they're definitely not here. But I can express to you all my anger so that anyone who hides them from me will know my wrath," Inferno yelled.

As Yubaba prepared an attack spell to knock Inferno off his feet, the crafty Volcano Spirit opened a portal to his own dimension and stepped into it. Luckily, she was skilled enough to extinguish the magic before it destroyed any more of her bathhouse. The witch muttered, "Next time I see him…he will die!"

At that moment, a brown haired woman wearing a pink uniform came downstairs to survey the damages. She was relieved that it wasn't as bad as usual; when Kira had escaped, the entire front of the hallway was blown apart and the guests were trapped inside. This time, only a few rafters and walkways were destroyed. "Yubaba, if you want I can gather the Yunas together and form a cleaning detail to get the mess cleared away. I'm afraid we'll have to hire a carpenter tomorrow to put it back in working order."

"Lin, you go do that," she muttered, "I'm going to make sure everything is ok upstairs; if my son was hurt in any way by that monster…then I'll find that volcano of his and blow it apart with him still inside the crater." Yubaba then left, leaving Lin to get ready to begin the cleanup. Just another Inferno attack.

"If you would like Lin, we'll help out. After all, he's after the six of us," offered Hana as Ayame broke her shadow. Lin could clearly see the five missing brides were all together. Then, her eyes settled on the sixth one; Chihiro. She was definitely new to the group…but why did she look so much like Sen?

Chihiro stated, "My name is Chihiro; I'm a River Spirit. It's nice to meet you. I don't mind helping out at all; I'm just grateful to be away from that man." She smiled at the young woman, however her heart was again feeling strange. Although she'd never met Lin before today, she looked real familiar to the girl.

Lin winked and then turned. "Thanks girls. I know I can always rely on you when you come by." With that, she left to get a group together to clear the debris. However, she too couldn't shake the feeling that this young woman named Chihiro looked like Sen. Come to think of it, what was Sen's real name?

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...**

Well, that's another one gone, and a big mess for the girls to clean up. We get Haku into the mix soon, say next chapter.


	6. The Party

**The Party**

The six girls began the tedious process of clearing away the debris; they were so into it, in fact, that they didn't notice Lin when she returned with the detail she'd arranged. Chihiro felt that the work was good for her after sleeping a thousand years. But something within her was reminiscing again. What could work have to do with her strange sensations? There was definitely something else going on here.

Soon, she thrust her palm to her forehead. 'What is this? I see myself dressed in a uniform just like Lin's; only shorter. I'm working hard to clean up the bathhouse; though not as strong a definitely new to the whole process. In fact, I'm ten years old again. And it seems like there was a sense of urgency in my movements; like someone I loved was in danger. My head feels like it wants to split open.'

She politely excused herself to get a breath of fresh air. Hana nodded in approval; however she was worried about Chihiro. The girl had been acting quite strange since they arrived. She wasn't used to being a Spirit so perhaps her human past and Spirit future were melding as one to create tension. Then she shook her head at the very impossibility of such an event. There was something more to Chihiro.

However, the girl had no way of knowing the layout of the bathhouse. She'd forgot to ask Hana the way to the garden in her daze. But somehow, she came upon it and stared out into the night. Just as she was about to open the door to go outside, something told her to go downstairs. A feeling inside of her soul was calling for her to head there. Not understanding what it was saying, she followed it anyway.

"Well, since Hana and her girls were practically finished when we arrived," Lin's voice called from the end of the passageway, "I got off easy. Most of the customers left when Inferno arrived so I've got some free time. That's why I've joined this little party early. But you've got to hear the strangest thing; Kamaji, Haku. Hana's gang has a new girl in it. Get this, she looks just as Sen would if she'd grown up."

'Who's Sen? Why does that name sound so familiar to me? My name is Chihiro," she thought as she neared the end. Looking out from the opened door, she could see three people in the boiler room. One was the cleaning girl they'd talked to earlier; Lin. Second was a bald man with spider like arms and a bushy beard and mustache. The third one, however, took her breath away. He was a young Spirit; the physical appearance had to be close to her own physical age. His catlike amber eyes held an aura of sorrow as his bowled brown hair fell around his face. The clothes he wore were similar to Lin's except his top was white and his pants were blue, and he wore a pair of leather slip on shoes to cover his feet.

The spider man stated, "If only that were so. Then we wouldn't have young Haku sitting here in this deep depression year after year. Pity she had to leave us so soon. If only the girl could have lived in our world instead of returning to her own. The two of you were quite close as well Lin; I could see how much she meant to you. It was almost as if you two were a pair of long lost sisters who'd finally met."

Chihiro stared at the young man; he was drinking heavily and staring at the ceiling. 'So that must mean that he's the one the girls were talking about; Haku. There's something about him that makes me feel all fluttery inside. It's like he's a long lost puppy dog; no, a long lost friend that I've run into again.'

She looked from his sad face to the ground below; watching the little soot balls as they scuttled across the floor with lumps of coal for the furnace. They captivated her just as did the other three in this room. It made her wonder if she'd ever had a vision before that showed her a place filled with wonder such as this. But a human was unable to do something like that; how much had she been changed now?

Suddenly, she knocked over a small broom that had been left in the corner by the doorway; it was one of those little ones that you used to get into corners and tight areas. Lin and Kamaji both shot their heads towards the sound. Chihiro knew she couldn't hide anymore; she had to show herself to the three.

"I'm sorry," she said, "But I've never been here before and ended up here while exploring the rooms. If I'm intruding on anything, I'll get back to my friends." She turned to leave, however the girl then felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Lin standing right behind her; curiosity in her blue eyes.

"You do look like a friend we lost long ago. The girl was a human who'd gotten lost in our world with her parents. In order to break the enchantment that had turned them both into pigs, the child made a contract with Yubaba to work in the bathhouse. However, though humans are often frowned upon in the Spirit World, Sen earned the respect of those she touched through her kindness and helpfulness. In the end, she passed a test with Yubaba in order to return home with her parents. Haku was perhaps the closest to her, and when he went to visit her one day she was dead," Lin informed Chihiro; tears flowing.

Chihiro looked to the young boy; she knew she'd seen depression in his eyes. Then she asked, "Has he been like this ever since she died? I never knew that Spirits and humans could be this close. I mean, I really haven't had much contact with people as of late." The girl applauded her quick cover up.

Kamaji nodded. "For a full thousand years in fact. It's been so bad that he actually re-created the river that humans dredged on him. Haku's the guardian of the Kohaku River you see. You too are a River Spirit. Where do you hail from? Lin said the new girl's name was Chihrio, yet I do not know of any river with that name. But then again, I don't leave the bathhouse anymore so I know not about the world."

"I don't have a river," Chihiro whispered, "It's kind of complicated. Really don't want to talk about what happened to me. The only friends I have left are Hana and the other girls; Inferno denied me of everything I held dear." Looking at Haku, she began to think how similar their feelings must have been.

"Well, in any case, can you do us a favor? Haku's gonna want to visit Sen's grave, but he's in no condition to fly on his own. Usually, he doesn't drink this bad, but the thousandth anniversary is kind of a real bad one. His mind can guide you there, all you have to do is fly," Lin explained to the young Spirit.

Chihrio nodded; she didn't want to see this young man hurt any more. Though she'd plain forgot that she didn't know how to transform into a Dragon; let alone fly. However, that problem was easily remedied. For the second she'd gotten Haku into her mind, she felt his experiences; not the specifics, but the daily life of a River Spirit. So the transformation came easy to her. In this form, Chihiro was a golden Dragon with an aqua mane running down her back. After Haku had been loaded on, she took off; not knowing that their destination would both answer her many questions, and take a load off their backs.

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

Well, I'm sure everyone can get where this is leading; Sky's right about me being predictable at times. I wanted the reunion to be quite early so they could fight Inferno together. Though dang...I didn't find an excuse to take Haku's shirt off; I have this obsession with doing that to my cute male characters.


	7. Memories

**Memories**

As Chihiro continued flying, she found herself going through a familiar gateway. It was none other than the archway her parents and her had taken into the "amusement park" when she was ten. Then, as she continued through the forest, she found Haku's request to stop at the strangest of places. This was the very clearing that Inferno had abducted her in. Letting him off, she transformed back.

"I'm sorry Chihiro," whispered Haku, "I was late because I drank a little too much and had to get a ride from another River Spirit. Why was I such a fool? If I had known what would happen, I should have found some other way out from Zeniba before you left. Then…you wouldn't have died and we would have been happy together at least for a little while. They say immortality is a blessing, but for me it has become my chains. The only reason I haven't taken my own life is because I need to watch over you."

'But they all called the girl Sen. So why does she suddenly have the same name as me?' Chihiro asked. Cautiously, she walked over to the grave Haku had bent down at. There was an inscription on the headstone that read, "Here lies Chihiro Ogino; friend to the Spirits. A life cut tragically short while on a walk in the woods. I, Haku, vow that until the end of my days, I will keep watch over the grave of my beloved. Though she was human, she meant more to me than any Spirit girl I'd come across in my life."

At that instant, Chihiro found herself feeling faint again. She knelt down on the ground and put her hand to her forehead. This was a grave to _her!_ But she knew no Spirits, she'd never met this boy before. This feeling of familiarity and strange memories was beginning to make her physically ill.

Then she saw what he held in his hand. It was the very hairpiece she'd been wearing when she took the fateful walk in the woods. Haku clutched carefully like he was handling an idol; this last physical token was all he had left to hold onto. She felt strange; she wanted to know what was going on with her.

At that instant, the hairpiece pulsated. Clearly shocked, Haku took a better look at the girl who had brought him to this grave. 'She looks just like Chihiro! Well, as Chihiro would have looked as an eighteen year old girl. Just as I imagined her to be; beautiful. And the way the hairpiece is shaking in my hands…it must mean that this really is Chihiro! She wasn't killed after all! That rapscallion Inferno must have gotten tired of his Spirit brides being stolen back by their own people and taken a human girl next.'

He knew what he had to do. Her latent memory must be awakened or she'd be suffering for the rest of her now immortal life. Luckily for him, Haku still remembered how to cast the spell; that small part of him that still held onto the hope of seeing her again had preserved it. Smiling, he walked up to her.

"Spirits of Life," chanted the youth, "Guide this lost one back where she belongs. Bring her the peace of mind that comes from knowledge. And let her be returned to where she once was! Powers of the universe…unlock the latent memories from within her brain!" With that, a flash of lightning fell down upon the clearing. Chihiro shrieked as the bolt struck her dead on; she was a Spirit of the River now after all. Suddenly, strange memories began rushing back to her. She saw herself wandering around the town around the bathhouse, her parents in the shape of pigs, her new friends who helped her through ever adversity that she'd found. But most of all, she remembered the one person she never wanted to leave.

"Haku! I can remember now!" shrieked Chihiro as she jumped into his arms. The first real smile in a thousand years crossed his mouth as he held her close and hugged her. Then, as if instinct had taken over both their bodies, their lips met. That first kiss; the one they'd waited a millennia to enjoy.

S...S

Back at the bathhouse, Hana was beginning to worry. She could hear Kira and Kaze arguing over whose fault it was that Chihiro had gone missing. Ayame had commented on how she had a long life ahead of her to explore things and didn't have to go running off. And Yume just sat on the sidelines and thought in her own little world. The Flower Spirit muttered, "Why do I deal with these four loonies?"

At that moment, a sound could be heard from the garden. The five ran towards the door only to see a pair of Dragons touching down. One was silver with an aqua mane, while the companion had golden scales and an aqua mane. It appeared as if the first was a male while the second was a female. Then, they began to glow with a brilliant light and transformed back into their human forms; Haku and Chihiro. Hana breathed a sigh of relief up on finding her; as long as she was with a fellow River Spirit…

Kira giggled. "Looks like somebody was a busy girl while she was gone. Trying to impress all the Spirit boys now Chihiro? Courting here is probably much different than what humans do. Then again, it could be good to have a fellow River Spirit on your side. We all have our own people to protect us too.

"Don't tease Kira," scolded Chihiro, "Listen, I've got an amazing story to tell you guys. Though I doubt anyone will believe it. Turns out, I have been to the Spirit World before as a child! I only don't remember it because the memories of my parents and I were wiped clean after we'd returned home…"

S...S

"So," Yume replied, "You and Haku were childhood sweethearts. And when Inferno kidnapped you, he was just a few hours behind to visit. No wonder he was depressed all this time. If I was in love and that had happened to me, I'd feel just the same. But that was sweet how you kept watch over her 'grave' all of those years. I always dream of a man who will actually be that devoted to me someday."

"If I had only did my research earlier, then I wouldn't be stuck in a rut. Yubaba probably made the training much harder so I'd give up midway through. If I knew the truth beforehand, I could have been in a better position; asked Zeniba if she or anyone she knew besides her sister could help me to realize this hidden power. Then, I could have most likely gotten to Chihiro before she was kidnapped. With her memory awakened, she would also have an awareness to spiritual forces and could have perhaps figured out the truth about Inferno before fighting him. Then she could have escaped," Haku bashed himself.

Chihiro squeezed his hand. Then she stated, "Well, it's all in the past now. Nothing else we can do. So let's just live our lives the way we originally wished. I'm not going to let Inferno or anybody else stand in my way. Perhaps this was for the best. Now, I'm just like you; we don't have to worry about my mortality getting in the way." She smiled at him, and he smiled back. At last, she was complete again.

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

I wanted to have a real sweet way for him and her to realize the truth, and using the hair tie seemed just perfect. Yes, Sap and Fluff go hand in hand with my fics.


	8. Heart's Trust

**Heart's Trust**

"What's going on down here?" inquired Lin as she came down the stairs to where the gang had been meeting, "I haven't heard such a commotion from you girls since the day that Kira got herself trapped in the laundry chute. And I still don't understand how she managed that." At the mention of her most embarrassing moment, Kira began to laugh louder than she'd ever done before. The others just sighed. Why did they have to deal with a crazy Animal Spirit who never wanted to grow up at all?

"Lin! You'll never guess what! The new girl who came here with Hana and her crew is Chihiro; Sen! She's been alive and in suspended animation for a thousand years!" exclaimed Haku. And when Haku is excited, then it must be something amazing; or at least that's what Lin thought since he had always been serious and ever since Sen had vanished he'd become extremely dour. She walked down the final few steps and saw the group together. Well, that explained why the girl looked just like Sen.

Lin embraced Chihiro and said, "You had us all so worried! I'm just happy to find you're ok now. And I finally know your real name too. Well, now we can all get out of the funk that's been clouding over the bathhouse for the past millennium; so many people were sad to hear you had been killed by some unknown assailant. Haku mentioned some oddities about the situation, but we never though of Inferno."

Ayame harrumphed off on the side. "You should always think of Inferno first if it's a missing girl and Spirits seem to be involved. I wasn't surprised to hear that he went gunning for a human this time. He's become increasingly frustrated with the fact that we Spirits don't take his little games lying down."

"Don't blame them," scolded Hana, "I mean I had no idea that there was a way to turn a human into a Spirit. That's why the thought never crossed my mind; he would be impatient with an aging mortal bride more so than a restless Spirit one. So nobody would possibly believe he could be after a human."

"It's a secret Shadow art he stole from my clan when he abducted me. That's why Inferno could turn a human into a Spirit. The ancient magic was used in ceremonies when the ancient cultures would sacrifice young virgins to whatever deity they believed in. We Shadow Spirits would transform the girl as her soul passed on so that she could live in another reality. Not used much anymore though," she replied.

Yume inquired, "If you knew that Ayame, then why didn't you tell us about the spell long ago? We could have alerted the Great Spirits that Inferno the chauvinistic Volcano Spirit knew how to turn a mortal girl into a Spirit. They've only not made a move to stop him because the Spirits are able to escape with ease since their clans have always protected them. But humans like Chihiro don't have that crutch."

Ayame turned away in disgust. "I never thought he'd try it, that's why. Thought he'd bee too intent on the quick and easy way out that he wouldn't think of it. But Inferno has proven me wrong and I guess my mistake cost a lot of grief for many humans and Spirits alike. We can remedy that now though."

"If anything," Kaze retorted, "We should go in there and rip his head off right away! Inferno won't give up; he'll take this as a sign that he needs to beef up security and find other ways of keeping his castle from the view of altruistic Spirits. Then, he's just going to abduct another mortal girl and try the same game as he did with Chihiro. You know that I'm right; he doesn't stop until he gets what he wants."

"Unfortunately, he still wants all of us. Even catching one of his runaway brides would satisfy his lustful soul. We must be on our guard. Kaze, you act like you know it all, but you speak before you think. We should appeal to a higher power than we have between us six and get help," Hana told her friend.

Chihiro asked, "But where are we going to find a higher power willing to fight Inferno? They say that you never see the Great Spirits. Should we just wait around here and hope and pray that one decides to visit the bathhouse? Or is there someone else we can more easily access to protect us all?"

At that moment, a very annoyed Yubaba came down the stairs. She'd heard more yelling in the short span of an hour than she'd heard in her many years as the manager of the bathhouse. "What in the world is going on with you girls? Not only does Inferno wreck my bathhouse and scare off my customers once again, but now you are all making a commotion and it hurts my ears. Not even when your younger two girls have arguments do you get this loud. You're lucky I don't try and hurt my paying customers."

"I think we just found our help," muttered Haku, "She'll do anything to get Inferno off of her back and somewhere far away. Every time he comes to complain, there's a major disaster and she's in a bad mood for the rest of the week. I hated those times when I used to work here; they were plain miserable."

"Oh mighty Yubaba! We need help dealing with Inferno once and for all. No longer do we wish to hide away and live our lives in fear. We former brides wish to be free at last! And we've long heard of how powerful you really are. How about it? Can we join forces to fight against this common enemy?" Hana spoke; Kaze and Kira rolling their eyes at how painfully sickening the entire speech was. But Hana was a master of words. She knew just how to sell a conversation to anybody; they'd believe anything.

Yubaba replied, "If it will stop him from destroying my property, then I'll do it! And I'll go and ask my sister to help out too; she's good for some things when you think about it." Then, without even looking back to see what else was going on, she went back upstairs. Kira and Kaze burst into a round of giggles.

Chihiro looked to Haku. "You know, she forgot all about the reason that she came down to yell at us in the first place. And we didn't even get to tell the story. I guess we'll just have to explain everything when Zeniba comes to join the fun. If Yubaba can't convince her to help, then I'm sure she'd listen to the rest of us. After all, she's been nice to us in the past and she was probably really worried about me."

"She was," Haku told her, "When I said how you'd disappeared, I thought she was about to cry; and we know that Zeniba isn't one to cry. You were like a granddaughter to her and she felt that she'd let down her own relative. But don't worry. I'm going to stay by you now; nobody is going to hurt you again."

They looked directly at one another; staring into the eyes of the one that they had longed for all of these years. "So…are you two going to kiss or what?" inquired Kira, giggling at the same time. Both Haku and Chihiro began blushing. At that moment, both Hana and Ayame pulled her away as Kaze and Yume walked on their own. Lin smiled as she too left. Best to let them have some time alone now.

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

Well, they've just got to get things together. Then there can be a showdown. Don't know how exactly I'll work it as of now. I always just go with the flow based on a general idea. That way, I can be flexible.


	9. Rat Race

**Rat Race**

Haku brought Chihiro out into the garden to look up at the moon with him. It was round and bright, showing the clear wonder radiating from her dark chocolate eyes. Never in his life had he experienced such wonder as when he was with her. They say it is rare for a Spirit to fall in love for the simple fact that their lives were so long. Because of that, not much of a need for reproduction existed, and thus they tended to keep more to themselves. However, this wasn't the average crush. This girl…she was the long missing half of his gentle soul. No matter how cheesy or corny that sounded.

"Stay with me forever," she whispered, "I don't want to be alone anymore." In response, Haku pulled the girl closer to his body, caressing the back of her head. Chihiro smiled at his reaction. She knew Haku would never desert her. He was the one person she would like to spend her life with.

Looking at Chihiro's peaceful expression, Haku began smiling. Then, he leaned his face forward to give her a kiss. The girl, noticing his intentions, leaned forward as well. Their lips met in an instant, holding peacefully in their position. It was like Heaven itself had come down to shower them in light.

"Well, well, well…what have we here? A little rat of a River Spirit playing with what is rightfully mine. Boy! You would do good not to challenge the might of Inferno," the voice of the lustful Volcano Spirit rang out. The two snapped to attention to see their nemesis hovering over them. He eyed Chihiro with hunger in his vision. In response, Haku pulled her closer, refusing to let that monster hurt his beloved.

Haku stated, "She is not yours. Chihiro and I promised ourselves to each other before you had entered the picture. I was just in a long and rigid training session so I could not see her. And even if she was not my girlfriend, you have no right to simply steal her away against her will. Women are not just playthings for men. They are their own beings! Both men and women exist to compliment one another, to help one another in forming a society. Neither is slave to the other! If you touch her…you will die!"

Inferno smirked; he loved hearing the foolish laments of others. "Touching boy. But I don't believe in that equality stuff. If the girl catches my eyes, I can take her. Why are you fools always getting in my way? I've been prepping this one a thousand years to become my wife; that will not be wasted!"

With that, he sent a blast of fire at the couple. Haku, shielding Chihiro, was hit with the full brunt of the attack. She screamed as he fell to the ground wounded. Upon sensing his lifeforce was still burning brightly, the young girl let out a sigh of relief. However, there was still Inferno to contend with.

"You monster…" she whispered, "Nobody touches Haku and gets away with it." With that, she began to transform into her Dragon state. Her tail wildly swung around in anger; she wouldn't let him live it down. With that, the River Spirit called up a mystical aura of water to protect her beloved from being injured in the backlash. Then, she turned her face towards her enemy, rage peaking over what he did.

"You wish to fight me? The mighty Inferno. None of my brides have been so brazen before. But then again, what should I expect from one who was born human. I will defeat you and bring you back to my palace. Then…I will make sure that you never leave again," Inferno threatened. He then called the fires to wrap around his body. When they cleared, he had become a Dragon as well. However, it was not a Chinese Dragon like Chihiro. He was of the European variety, decked in red scales and yellow belly.

The two beasts stared at one another. Then, suddenly, Inferno let out a lash of fire from his mouth. Chihiro, knowing she wouldn't be able to dodge it in time, called up an aura of water. She immediately transformed her barrier into a jet stream; thrusting it out to counter the storm of flames.

She thought, 'Water puts out fire. Fire melts ice which turns to water to wash the flames away. The winds blow the loosened soil around. Light conquers the darkest of nights. Looks like that little elemental lesson I got from Yume is really paying off. I know how to fight now; how to protect Haku.'

Suddenly, the water thrust the flames back to their caster. Inferno was thrown into the garden wall; injured from contact with not only his enemy/victim's power, but that of his own body. The wicked Spirit laughed; she was just too much. "You are powerful. I know that you will bring forth strong sons for me! Now…come along quietly. Unless you want to risk an accidental hit destroying that foolish Spirit!"

But before she could respond, a cage of flames appeared in the sky and dropped over Chihiro's position. She called up her watery aura once more, thrusting the waves at the devilish trap. However, unlike the normal flames of Inferno's attack, these would never go out. It was his ultimate weapon, the trump card he mastered in case his brides tried to fight back. In fact, this was the first time he'd cast it.

'Blast it!' the young River Spirit thought, 'How can I break out of this one? He's obviously thought of everything; then again, he has dealt with six escapes. Haku…I'm sorry. I'll have to find another way.' In a final act of desperation, Chihiro rammed her head into the bars of the cage. Save the really nasty burn she acquired as a result of this, nothing happened. This really was an impenetrable forcefield.

But suddenly, the entire cage vanished. Looking back, Chihiro saw Haku had recovered from his earlier bout with the flames. And he was mad! The anger over Inferno taking Chihiro away against her will again caused his own powers to increase tenfold. Thus, he'd transformed and shot a stream of water at the flaming bars. His beloved raced from her position to stand by her side to take a stand together.

"When we fight as one…our power is greater. I promised that I would never let Chihiro suffer again and by the Great Spirits I will keep that promise!" he yelled. With that, they both shot a stream of water at their enemy simultaneously. However, Inferno simply teleported away before being hit by them.

His voice echoed, "You two are to be commended. I've never seen someone fight as hard as this to protect another. Well…this won't last. I will return for the lovely Chihiro! And then I will have a plan of how to deal with this little boy. Good night, my darling!" With that, he let out a laugh that rang for miles.

The two became human again and Haku clenched his fist. "He will not get away with this. I swear that if he even thinks about touching you…I'll kill him. No one hurts you and gets away with it." With that, he began walking towards the door, returning inside. Chihiro followed him in, smiling.

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

Don't mind me; I'm running off a La Pucelle fanfic binge when I wrote this chapter; that game had a lot of romance in it. The entire thing was filled with Prier fighting to defend either her daughter or Croix; though I'm still wishing that I had him with his shirt off at some point. Errrr...don't mind me. I have this obession with forcing the cute guys to go topless a lot in my fics just to satisfy the other fangirls.


	10. To Soar

**To Soar**

The next day, the six brides and Haku got up reluctantly; having spent much of the night awake to watch out for Inferno. And the only reason they did get up was Yubaba was screaming, angry about the new dents she'd seen in the garden after the last duel with Inferno. Ayame muttered something about the old crone putting in a security system in the future; she was usually grouchy even if getting enough sleep.

"And another thing!" the witch called, "My sister is hear to see you Haku! You deal with her because I can not!" With that, she stormed down the hallway. Everyone looked extremely disheveled and were mentally planning some really deep curse to put on the grouchy bathhouse owner in the near future. However, they all got up and prepared to meet with their new ally, hoping to get some help.

"Granny! It's me,Chihiro!" the girl called as she ran into the other room. Zeniba was quite surprised to see the kindly human girl, thinking she'd died all those years ago. However, she could well sense the newfound Spirit powers flowing through her. It was easy to guess what happened considering they asked her to help out with Inferno. She could see Haku's anger; he would make that beast pay.

Zeniba spoke through tears of joy, "It's good to see you again child. Only…now you're all grown up. And with new powers as well. Don't worry; I will help make sure that Inferno never separates you from Haku again. It must have been frightening; thinking that you would never get away from such a monster. With my spells, we can find a way to fight him." She dried her eyes; relief washing over her.

Hana looked over. "That is what we were hoping. You are a powerful enchantress; there are a great deal of magical tomes in your possession that might prove useful. Inferno is a monster who treats women as his toys. We do not wish any to suffer as we did; we wish to stop him before he strikes again."

"Well spoken," Zeniba commented, "You truly are a strong woman. I will make sure that we get the drop on Inferno. In fact, we'll set a trap. I can create an illusion of your images by changing the forms of stones or small mammals. When he takes the bait, we will strike with our power. Though I believe you should each think carefully about your moves. Inferno is still a strong opponent, even if we trap him."

"If we consider the basic facts, each of us alone is powerless against Inferno. The only time a singular attack hurt him in any way was when Haku was angered at Chihiro's pain. However, if we work as a team, then nobody can touch us. I will summon rose petals to blind Inferno. Ayame can call forth the shadows to confuse him just as Yume feeds him illusions. Kaze will strike with winds, and Kira can call forth the beasts of the forest. Finally, Chihiro and Haku can use their water powers to gain the upper hand. For like all Fire Classes, Volcano Spirits are weakened by the coolness of the waters," Hana said.

They were sitting in one of the tubs, knowing very well that there wouldn't be anyone inside of these rooms until later in the evening. Why Yubaba had allowed them to hold their meetings in her bathhouse was beyond even them; though they all believed she would do anything to get him away.

Kira muttered, "As usual Hana, you come up with a boring plan. Where's the hand to hand combat? Where're the punches and kicks and bites? And where's my time to lay the smackdown on that jerk for taking me away from my family!" After a confused Chihiro gave her a look, Hana explained that Kira happened to be obsessed with human television, and had long since taken a shine to wrestling.

Kaze sighed. "But it is the safest. Working together, as Lady Zeniba told us, is the only thing that can defeat someone like Inferno. He is much more powerful than each of us individually. Or…do you wish to return to being his captive? I'd love a good laugh at the very thought of you wearing a skirt."

"That's not funny Kaze!" screamed Kira, "You know I can't stand frilly crap like that! I like my tunic and breeches thank you very much! And I'm plenty strong; I've been training over a thousand years to get my revenge when the time came. But you party poopers are always ruining my fun before it starts."

"It is called caution; Kira. You know that if we were to attack head on, he would be able to defeat us. Inferno is the type that must be outwitted; he isn't a quarter as bright as he is strong. You all have to stop this petty fighting and work as a team. Honestly…do we have to leave the two of you out of every single battle? Neither of you are calm enough to let go of your emotions and think," Yume interjected.

Both girls, in a rare act of togetherness, screamed, "Yume! Shut up! I know what I'm saying and can handle myself in a fight! You're not my mother!" Upon realizing what had happened, the two turned their heads in anger with a loud "harrumph!" Hana and Chihiro were giggling; but softly so they wouldn't be able to hear it. It was the one thing they'd never been able to cure, the girls' competitive natures.

Hana kept silent a few moments more. She knew that in a time like this, it was key for the duo of hotheads to cool down. "Anyway, we are setting the plan in motion tomorrow afternoon. That gives us the day to rest up and get ready to take immediate action. Then…Inferno is going to pay for his crimes."

"Freedom at last," Ayame added, "I'll be able to return to my beloved Yami." She immediately noticed the stares of each of the girls; out of all the original five brides, they wouldn't have pinned Ayame as the one who'd formed an emotional attachment. "What…so I'm in love. Is that a crime I didn't know about!" She gave them all a hard glare; one that froze the very hearts of her enemies to the core.

"Nothing wrong with love. It's just that we didn't think you were the type. Nothing personal Yame, but you do have quite a sharp tongue," Kira commented. She then saw the even sharper sword that was positioned in her friend's hand. "There's nothing wrong with that either; it's just the way you are Aya."

Ayame demanded, "You'd better call me 'Ayame' if you know what's good for you. None of this 'Yame' or 'Aya' stuff. It's 'Ayame' and nothing else. I have no need for a nickname." With that, Kira jumped behind Chihiro and Haku, knowing that the duo could make a killer team if Ayame tested them.

At this moment, Hana reached her breaking point. "There will be no more goofing around from the likes of you! Honestly, this is too important to argue over. We are going to rest up before we face that devil tomorrow! And you know that when I get this mad then you all are in some serious trouble."

Except for Chihiro, they all knew that an angry Hana was a scary Hana. So they all meeped out their apologies before she went hyper. Then, the brides scattered around the bathhouse to relax before the big day. They didn't return until the evening when the team took a nice bath together; hoping to ease their tensions before the final battle. But nobody knew what the next day would bring to their eyes.

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

Heh, writing the girls was fun for me. In fact, the five's personality quirks are based on people I know, except they don't fight this much and I kind of added in a more Rhapsody-esq argument cuz I was happy to beat the game and see the story in two days. It's really taking a single quirk and then transforming it into a personality.


	11. United Hearts

**United Hearts**

The next day, they put the plan in motion. Zeniba cast a spell on a small circle of rocks to make them look like the six brides. They appeared to be laughing and having a good time. Off to the side, she made another rock look like Haku; if he weren't guarding Chihiro, it would appear somewhat suspicious.

"He should come by soon; knowing that his brides are in the area," she whispered, "And when he does, follow the plan and hit him with everything we've got. Remember, brains will always beat brawn if they both are used to their maximum capacity." She then hushed Kira before the girl could speak up.

'This is it; the fated moment. We either will find our freedom or all end up in cages. I'd rather go out fighting though. Then, at least I know that I didn't just walk into his prison. Surprisingly, I'm not that scared. I know my friends are all by my side and well fight as one. And…Haku. There's just something about having him by my side that eases all my tensions. I guess that's just how you feel when you're in love. No matter what, you trust one another to watch your back and aid you in life,' Chihiro told herself.

When Inferno didn't show up right away, the group sat down to play with some of Yume's cards. It was a Spirit game called "Elemental Rondo." The object was to get rid of all the cards in your hands. Four types of card existed; Wind, Fire, Water, Earth. To start, a single card was turned from the top of the discard pile. Play went clockwise starting with the one who rolled the highest number on a dice. If he couldn't find a card with the same element or number, he picked one from the deck; if still nothing, his turn ended. The game ended when one person managed to throw away every single card in his hand.

The game went on for a long time because no one seemed to get the right cards. By the end of the game, Kira had about twenty cards in her hands, Kaze had thirty, Hana and Ayame were down to about three, Chihiro had five, Haku had two, and Yume had won. Zeniba didn't play because she was keeping watch. Waiting around for their adversary was starting to get boring; how long would he take?

S...S

Inferno didn't arrive until mid-afternoon; Hana said that he loved to sleep in and surprise the brides with the timing of his visits. The second he saw the camp, he shot a blast at the fake Haku. Then, he swooped down on the other dummies. But at the last second, Zeniba broke the spell and he slammed into the ground, somewhat stunned. When he recovered, he whipped his head back and forth, confused.

Hana called out, "Now gang!" With that, she strewn a veil of rose petals to dance around the enemy. Then, the shadows were called up by Ayame, confusing him alongside the illusions Yume could bring. Inferno looked around wildly, unable to pinpoint the direction the attacks had been cast from.

Then it was time for the physical attacks to supplement the defensive ones. Kaze first threw out a wind gust to knock him back; the Volcano Spirit was promptly tripped by a small army of foxes that had rushed through the clearing. Finally, Chihiro and Haku united their powers once more to strike out with a water gush. Inferno was injured, but not out. And when he recovered, he looked madder than ever.

The Volcano Spirit's head darted back and forth, looking for the culprit. "Where are you girls? You won't get away with this! I'll see to it that all of you are locked into your rooms for a thousand years. The only contact you'll have is with me; I will visit you at least once a day to remind you who is in charge in the castle!" At that moment, flames began rushing out from around his body, scorching everything in a foot radius of his position. Zeniba's guard shield just protected the team before they too were incinerated.

"No! You won't be getting away with this!" screamed Chihiro as she stood up, "We aren't about to sit quietly and let you take over our lives. The six of us are willing to fight for our futures, and when we fight as one, you won't stand a chance!" With that, she began to transform into a Dragon again, as did Haku. The other girls stood in a semicircle around the duo, all preparing for another large scale attack.

"What a laugh; you actually think that you can defeat me. Oh well, I'll humor you ladies a little while longer. But come tonight you will all be sleeping soundly in my castle!" Inferno called back. Then, he too took to his draconic form. And as the girls and Haku, he also prepared to cast another spell.

Zeniba brought up a second shield as Inferno's flames shot towards the six runaway brides. But this one reacted much differently. For starters, it was able to keep any more damage from occurring to the native flora. And secondly, it acted as a mirror; sending the attack right back from whence it came. Inferno was knocked backwards once more, in prime position to be struck at from his enemies' assault.

Chihiro mind called, -Now's the time to strike! He's weakened and easier to damage!- At that instant, they all let loose their abilities at once. Rose petals, shadows, and illusions began going to work to scar Inferno mentally. At the same time, the winds, waters, and a pack of wolves began tearing at his spiritual body. Inferno let out screams of pain, still reeling from being struck down by his own fiery powers. At the last minute, as he screamed, Chihiro and Haku threw a last gush of water in the fray.

Inferno's screams began to echo throughout the clearing; causing sonic booms to emit from his draconic body. A third shield from Zeniba kept the team from being injured in the process. Suddenly, lights strewn from the Volcano Spirit; something was about to explode! And then, in an amazing display of pyrotechnics, he exploded. The gang's barrier was blown back, knocking into a wall of the bathhouse.

Kira exclaimed, "I knew this was a bad idea! I've got a splitting headache from all of the noise. And I think I broke something when I hit the wall!" She began to whimper like a little lost puppy. The pain was getting too hard to bear for one so childish. In fact, she hurt so badly that she was nice to Kaze.

Yume looked around at her dazed friends. "Look on the bright side guys. We killed Inferno and everyone is going to be alright." It was then that she saw an angry Yubaba come flying down from her window, noticing the damage that had now been added to her bill. "Maybe I spoke a little too soon…"

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

I'm surrounded by crazies! My musician is humming songs from an obscure RPG, my artist is drawing things that I don't even want to know why, and my Partner is complaining in my ear about all the mush. Oh well, this is almost over. Next time, we clean everything up. It's funny though. I thought this one would last much longer and this La Pucelle fic I wrote much shorter. But this one was quite short and the La Pucelle fic went on and on and on because I kept getting ideas to add.

Oh, and the reason this chapter is later than usual is because I have an anime convention today, tomorrow and Sunday and I was busy all week putting the finishing touches on my costume.


	12. The Spirit Child

**The Spirit Child**

Everyone dreaded the dressing down they were going to get for wrecking some of Yubaba's property. However, she was surprisingly calm; seemingly happy for once, probably because this would be the last time someone wrecked anything in her bathhouse. All the girls had to do was promise to fix the wreckage and they'd be let off with a sharp warning. Of course, they accepted; nobody was stupid.

Luckily for them, they were great at working together to repair things; having done so every single time Inferno managed to blow something up at the bathhouse. So by nightfall, everything was clean and put away. Meaning, none of the guests ever found out the crap that had occurred earlier that morning. Also, after a relaxing night in the baths, the six were able to return to their true homes after so long.

Hana returned home to her beloved older brother; Bara. Her father and mother had long since departed from the world and as such he was now the new king of the Flower Spirits. Or, rather, the interim king. For it was the tradition of their people to have a woman on the throne. And Bara had merely been keeping things in order for the time when Hana could once more be free from Inferno's watch. She was in the looking for a king to rule by her side, however had no rush; remembering her long nightmare.

Ayame returned to her small village in the Misty Forest; a secluded area lying on the plains far west of the bathhouse. There, ready to greet her, was Yami; the lover she'd left behind. For the first time in centuries, she rushed forward to embrace him. They immediately began to prepare their wedding.

Yume, as a Dream Spirit, really had no place to go. Instead, she lived in a mountain to the north of Swamp Bottom; meditating on life and existence. She often visited Zeniba whom she had taken a liking to. The old witch was going to teach the girl how to wield powerful magic; Yume was quite interested in learning to protect herself better. In addition, Zeniba and No Face were working together to teach their new friend how to sew. After all, in a secluded mountain there is no one to help you out.

Kaze continued to fly on the winds to see all that she could see. As one of the Spirits of the four elements—Air, Fire, Water, Earth—she had the power to become a Dragon. Her Draconic form was serpentine like a Chinese Dragon with the arms and legs of a European Dragon and feathery wings on her back; everything in varying shades of green. It was the freedom that she missed more than anything else while in Inferno's power and while hiding from him. Now, the girl had a lot of lost time to make up for.

Kira returned to the forests that were her former home; they were a great deal south of the bathhouse. There, her entire tribe was waiting for her to return. She returned to playing hide and seek and tag with her friends, as well as climbing trees and wrestling. They were just like the animals that their kind were ordained to govern; playful and friendly. Not to mention they were often getting into trouble.

Haku brought Chihiro back with him to his refilled river. There, they planned to build a home and family together. And when a human explorer was finally brave enough to explore the region where the fierce Dragon was rumored to live, he beheld a clean body of water; great for fishing and drinking. It didn't take him long to come up with a name; almost as if it were imbedded into his mind by a greater force or being. "I shall call it, the Senkohaku River…" he stated. And it still retains that name today.

S...S

_Ten years later…_

Three Dragons were flying through the skies of the Spirit World; heading towards an old bathhouse. One was pure white with an aqua mane of fur. The second was gold with an aqua mane. Finally, there was a smaller Dragon who was blue with a golden mane. Because this one flew in between the other two, any Spirit who saw them could tell that the blue Dragon was the child of the other two.

When they finally arrived, the younger River Spirit landed first, seemingly excited over her first visit to this bathhouse. She was a five year old girl with amber eyes and brown hair worn up in a ponytail. Her garb consisted of a light blue dress and a pair of slip on shoes. A bright smile was plastered on her face. She would have run ahead and gone inside the establishment, had her mother not grabbed her.

"Mizuki," Chihiro warned, "Please wait for Daddy and me. There are a lot of rooms inside of here and it's easy to get lost. I remember when I came here for the first time; how confusing everything was." Chihiro thought back over that long millennium, remembering her first adventures and the first encounter with the man she would later marry. It warmed her heart whenever she thought of her lost childhood.

"Your mother is right. It is quite a place, and there are a lot of workers and guests running around. A child of your age would easily be lost in the shuffle. And I don't want Yubaba finding you when she is in a bad mood; she can be quite scary," Haku told his child. With that, little Mizuki grabbed the hands of both of her parents. They all began to walk towards the bridge, waving hello to the Frog on guard duty. He looked shocked; the two hadn't been around since Chihiro had gotten pregnant.

After they got inside, the family rented a tub to relax in. However, the peace did not last long. For they soon heard a shrill cry of, "Chihiro! Haku! Mizuki! Nice to see you three again!" In a split second, the trio had turned their heads towards the entrance to the room. Standing there in the hall with a big smile on her face, was Kira; Hana, Ayame, Yume, and Kaze were all hanging around behind her.

Chihiro smiled as she saw the best friends she'd missed. "It's nice to see the five of you too. I mean, it's been over a year since we last were able to get together. And we haven't been able to go to the bathhouse together in six. Come on in; we'll all have dinner together and catch up on old times."

Over the night, they ate and spoke about what was going on with each. Hana finally had a boyfriend. Ayame and Yami still had no child, but they weren't quite ready for one anyway. Kira and Kaze were just as wild as ever. And Yume had reached a new high in her spiritual calmness.

'Every time we get together, it's like a new beginning,' thought Chihiro, 'My abduction by Inferno was all for the best in the end. Now, I have a group of tight knit group of friends and can stay by the side of my beloved forever. Then there is my blessed daughter; the light I have longed for in all my life. Okaasan…Otousan…I hope you continue to watch over me from above. At long last, I am happy.'

* * *

**Teefa's Last Words...  
**

Yes, a sappy way to end it but I excel at sap. Mizuki (mizu-water, ki-spirit) was a character my artist friend sketched once in a pique of boredom; though that picter was her as a teenager. Bara (rose) was simply given his name at the last minute because it made the story flow much cleaner if the other mentioned Flower Spirit had a Flower name.


End file.
